Sunday, April 30, 2006

picking my jaw up off of the floor...

This was amazing. I don't even remember a time when a reporter has mentioned PNAC to a member of this administration and certainly not like this. That's not to say it hasn't happened before but if it has I'm not aware of it, so it came as a complete and total shock; even though it shouldn't.

The last five years worth of dirty secrets have been a festering wound in dire need of a lancing. If the wound isn't lanced, it is just as likely to nastily erupt of its own volition ~ and that's the good news. The alternative is far more dire but when you are caught up in the midst of a smelly, painful, infected mess, it is hard to focus on any other experience than unrelenting, unforgiving, enduring discomfort.

I can only hope that this righteous reporter will have a positive effect of waking up our press corp to what their collective job is supposed to be. As for Bolton, he ought to be thoroughly ashamed of himself but he has no conscience so I know he isn't. Here's hoping he is removed from his outrageous "recess" appointment before too long.

Then there was this clip of Stephen Colbert's outrageously brave but painfully blunt tribute to the President at the White House Correspondents Dinner last night which apparently left Colbert snubbed ~ can't say I'm surprised as I squirmed uncomfortably through the whole thing myself. It's not as though Colbert's rant and roll wasn't lonnng overdue and right on target; it's more like I'm ashamed on behalf of the object of all this well-deserved derision but I also feel sorry that this man is so completely mockable. It's his own fault but that didn't make it any less painful to watch him receiving his just desserts.

As for the oh so culpable News Media, they got their share of comeuppance as well and I'm sure that probably didn't exactly endear Colbert to them either. Yikes... that was painful...

Still, it's a sad testament to the disconnect much of the country has been operating under for so long. For those who have gotten it from the beginning, I think the outrage has reached the boiling point and the long overdue response is going to play out as a whole lot more of the same, even as the diehard Bush loyalists respond in ever more hysterical denial and deflection and an acceleration of the smear tactics that worked far too well for far too ridiculously long. And those in the (ever diminishing) muddled middle look on in complete horror, not wanting to own any part of it. Unfortunately, that lack of commitment has been a very big part of the problem, imho. And unfortunately, I fear it is going to have to get lots uglier all over, before it has any chance of getting much better.

Something about that (hopefully) diminishing middle; something that I can't help saying because it worries me to death. If we've learned one single thing in these last few horrid years, I hope to heaven that we've managed to learn that each and every one of us don't just have the right, we have the absolute obligation to participate in this American Experiment if it has any hope at all of living up to the dreams and expectations of our forefathers. If we are too lazy and too apathetic or too fearful to take a stand about the things that should matter the most, or to honour the gifts we have been given just by being lucky enough to be citizens of this beautiful country, we deserve exactly what we get.

This country was created expressly to acknowledge and give rights to its people, but with that comes accountability. This government is supposed to be made up of us, to work for us and with us. But it can't do that if we don't do our part, to keep it ethical and to keep it strong, accountable and invulnerable to the weakness of deceit and corruption. It's accountability time, crunch time for all of us. I just hope we've all got the intestinal fortitude and the heart to stick it out and see this through.

UPDATE: I've been gnawing on this all night and reading the blogs and though I only saw the highlighted clips once (and I'd like to watch it all again and get the whole thing), I think this commenter (Choska) at dKos really sums up Colbert's Appearance the best:

It was BRUTAL - The Opposite of Irony

Irony is defined as when the intended meaning is the opposite of the stated meaning. Tonight, I think Colbert wasn't engaging in irony at all, which is why the performance was so devastating.

In line after line he meant EXACTLY what he said, and the assembled journalists and politicos were right to look uncomfortable.

He destroyed Bush, but as rough as he was with Bush he was twice as rough on the press. That line about how Americans didn't want to know about issues like global warming, and the press heard that plea and didn't tell us about it, was crushing.

At the end when he said, 'I have nothing but contempt for these people,' I wasn't so sure he was joking.

This performance, IMHO, was a game changing moment. One of our own got through the gate, and the powers that be in DC have been put on notice.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Led Zeppelin was good for Atlantic Records and Atlantic Records was pretty good to Zeppelin as well. So, I can't help wondering why, once again, John Paul Jones appears to have been left out of the loop... colour me disappointed yet again, if not surprised. Oh well... That wouldn't keep me from attending if only that were possible. Which it isn't...

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

anticipation

Against my better judgment last night, I followed the links to Loose Change and by the time I got through it I had the headache from hell and literally felt like hurling. Happily, it was time for the nightly walk with the dogs and I was never so happy for some fresh air and some sweet and innocent distraction in my life.

Regarding my better judgment: It's not that I think anything in it is wrong or particularly tinfoil; its rather that it rings entirely too true and that's the complete tragedy of it all. I already knew about much of it and I know what my sick gut and my broken heart already tells me. Sooner or later (and at this point I'm betting a whole lot sooner than later) the truth will out. And it's gonna be particularly ugly for those unable or unwilling to deal with the horrible truth. As for me, I've been living with the ugly truth for a long time and I'm ashamed to say that after 5 years of living with the fear and loathing over what this administration will do next or what latest unwanted revelation will follow I've just about tapped out my coping abilities with it all.

BTW, I don't suppose it takes much seuthsaying to see the writing on the wall these days, but the reason I'm certain this is all gonna come out is because my sweet wonderful hubby who is rational, sensible and Conservative (just not in the neocon insane way), who was horrified that I believed what I did relating 9-11 five years ago, now believes it is very likely after watching months and months of constant revelations about this administration. If you knew my hubby the way I know my hubby, this is a seismic change in his thinking. And he is shaken to the core over this, believe me.

And he's not the only one... it doesn't get any easier with time. After awhile, I find I've got to turn it off and put my head somewhere else before it explodes. So once again, I turn my thoughts to things that give me hope and joy, no matter how superficial it all may seem to the outside world.

I finally pre-ordered The Dixie Chicks'Taking the Long Way and I just bought Pink'sI'm Not Dead (technically a birthday present for Mina but I imagine its gonna get alot of play by everyone here via the Family iTunes). Neil Young'sPrairie Wind (something we should already have and I don't know why we don't except that these days it takes us forever to get our CD requirements fulfilled due to old age/forgetfulness I spose) and his latest are gonna be next.

I'm really anticipating the summer now because not only are we planning the vacation getaway I've been dreaming about all year but it looks like if we are lucky we might just be able to squeeze in a CSNY date while we are in the approximate vicinity!!!! YAY!!!

Wishing each and every one of you a beautiful, peaceful and inspiring Earth Day. Take joy in natural beauty today and remember Mother Earth is all we've got. Love and respect your Mother by taking care of her and protecting Her!

Still, I think we can (and indeed some incredibly smart people are already working on this very thing and in fact have been for a very long time) come up with even better alternatives. It's just a darn shame that there hasn't been more vigorous public support for research on oil alternatives but then we all know why that has been, don't we?

Frankly, I'll be not one bit surprised if crisis~level shortages will suddenly and miraculously be circumvented by ingenious alternatives flying out of some big name corporations as if from nowhere ~ with a nice hefty price tag and complete monopoly over whatever the miraculous resource turns out to be, of course... yes, I'm cynical.

Monday, April 17, 2006

One of our neighbors has a beautiful little white hen that has completely enchanted me. They let her go out on the front lawn most afternoons to forage for snacks and whenever I pass by their house at that time of day I look forward to the tiny little thrill I get when I catch a glimpse of her, serenely strutting around and pecking away without a single care in the world.

We've begun dreaming of the day when we have retired to some small acreage and can have a free range hen of our own; for her eggs, of course, and every bit as much for her zenlike serenity and faith that all's right with the world. And all will be right in the world of any hen who graces me with her beauty and presence.

Our little hen-neighbor has done as much for my recovery from surgery and stress in these insane times as anything else has. I think it is because she's domesticated but a little bit wild; I've no doubt she is their pet as any hen of mine would be, but that is the kind of pet that is far freer and more aloof than a dog is and even, probably a cat. I love my cat and dogs with all my heart and they've been instrumental in helping me keep my sanity and faith in all that is good as well... but there is something about the innocence and trust that beautiful little hen carries around with her as she goes about her business oblivious to the great big, all too often bad old world.

She trusts that everything will be fine. And every single day the world around her complies with her faith in it. If she can do that, why shouldn't I?

Sunday, April 16, 2006

peace and beauty be with you all

Whether you celebrate Passover, Easter, Ostara, Al-Hijra or just celebrate the beauty of April and all of her gifts, I send my wishes for peace and beauty to you today.

May you be experience a little bit of the magickal renewal and small wonders of spring today; may your hearts be reborn to the newness, the innocence and the beauty of spring's promise and may it fill you with hope. Miracles, large and small, are always possible, an ever present potential... just waiting for us to manifest them with our faith in them and our intention to bring them about.

Though, it looks a little grainy and beat up, but I was delight to link up with this YouTube find: Jimmy's tv debut at 14

You've probably seen the snippet of this before (I have obviously ~ an even shorter clip but I think it was far better quality than this one appears to be) but it's still a great little trip in the waaaaayback machine and I had to post the link to it here for personal bloggie posterity. 1958 was a very good year imho as I made a debut of my own that year on Friday January 3rd at 10:04 a.m. :-) Yes, I am ancient. :-p

As for the charming young star of this video, I've gotta say they sure don't make em like they used to.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

self-righteous pharmacists need to be fired!

This is really getting out of hand. These supposed health care professionals should be canned post-haste.

"Today, one of our clients asked us to call in her prescription... to Swedish outpatient pharmacy. [We] called the prescription in... and spoke with an efficient staff person who took down the prescription. A few minutes later, this pharmacy person called us back and told us she had found out who we were and she morally was unable to fill the prescription." (Cedar River thinks their client eventually got her prescription filled.)

...

The complaint also includes an incident from November 2005 in Yakima, in which a pharmacist at a Safeway reportedly refused to fill a Cedar River patient's prescription for pregnancy-related vitamins. The pharmacist reportedly asked the customer why she had gone to Cedar River Clinics and then told the patient she "didn't need them if she wasn't pregnant."

Monday, April 10, 2006

Ross Halfin's latest beautiful images of my Guitar God and the desktops I created with some of them:

Getting myself motivated to actually post to my highly neglected booklog, the great stuff I've been reading since... last year... yikes, including my most recent favourites: Michael Palin's Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole (both which got me through a pair of uncomfortable nights at the hospital ~ Michael I love you and I'm forever in your debt!) and Sahara. I don't have Himalaya (the book companion) yet, and I still need this one as well, but I've got the most awesome dvd which started this whole serendipitous armchair travel reading marathon with my favourite Python.

And to wax poetically over my two latest delightful reads (I need to update my sidebar but I just kinda gave up awhile ago) Margaret Sanborn's Yosemite which I purchased during last year's lovely vacation there but never got around to reading till last week and David Rothenberg's very lovely Why Birds Sing which I just received and couldn't resist starting to read earlier today. That's a very bad habit that keeps me disorganized and overflowing with stacks of half-started books all over the place ~ but I couldn't resist...

Brag about my very talented Care2 buddy Mark's band Giles latest awesome album which just happens to be called (ahem!) Dancing with Dolores and pretending that I was the inspiration for the song (when in fact the song had been written well before I ever knew how great Giles is! but a girl can dream about her own 15 minutes of fame, can't she?)

Revel in the beauty and delight of a perfect Southern California spring.

WASHINGTON - Key figures in a phone-jamming scheme designed to keep New Hampshire Democrats from voting in 2002 had regular contact with the White House and Republican Party as the plan was unfolding, phone records introduced in criminal court show.

The records show that Bush campaign operative James Tobin, who recently was convicted in the case, made two dozen calls to the White House within a three-day period around Election Day 2002 — as the phone jamming operation was finalized, carried out and then abruptly shut down.

I'm no soothsayer and I've got NOT ONE SHRED OF ABSOLUTE PROOF, I'm just going by my gut but I've long thought since the last election that George Bush and John Kerry's numbers will someday be revealed to have been exactly reversed. I don't care anymore, whether this qualifies me for a tinfoil hat in the interim; I know in my very soul that this is true and I know that one day soon that, and no doubt, a whole lot more highly unpalatable things are going to come to light. And as divided as we are now, I'm really fearful that when every revelation is revealed it is only going to send the true believers into a violent denial of biblical proportions.

And even though I'm convinced of this, and as angry and betrayed as I feel about the last 5 years, I'm feeling very sad for this poor deluded soul. I'm not inhumane or lacking in compassion. Sometimes I can't bear to watch what they are doing to themselves anymore than I can stand what they are doing to everyone else.

I felt this in my bones last autumn, and I'm certain of it now, but I suppose I'm just stating the obvious for anyone who has eyes to see: the unraveling has well and truly begun. And I've no doubt that it is going to be painful (and perhaps very very dangerous) to be a part of this national spectacle. It's all going to be very ugly as every dirty deed is revealed, and I can't deny that I'm dreading it, even as I welcome the breaking of this horrid spell we've been under.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

john kerry: two deadlines and an exit

John Kerry's New York Times Editorial here; he calls for troop withdrawal by year's end.

Half of the service members listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall died after America's leaders knew our strategy would not work. It was immoral then and it would be immoral now to engage in the same delusion. We want democracy in Iraq, but Iraqis must want it as much as we do. Our valiant soldiers can't bring democracy to Iraq if Iraq's leaders are unwilling themselves to make the compromises that democracy requires.

It's my understanding that Homeland Security is supposed to protect us from the dangers of the big bad scary world. That's fantastic, if it works. But what I wanna know is just exactly who is supposed to protect our most vulnerable members of society from the abuses of the the sterling characters like this sexual predator who works there...

Someday, we may look back on the last 5 years and the ever mounting scandals and constitutional abuses, the lying, the complete disregard for integrity and honour and just laugh our collective a**es off.

.....

nah, I don't think so either. At this point I'm just hoping we get through this mess with some shred of sanity left and enough determination to clean it up.